# Actors whose talent is wasted **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 12, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868 "2003-07-12T01:26:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/21 "2003-07-13T20:15:33Z")
**Tim Roth** is an incredible actor (see Reservpir Dogs, Gridlock’d), but his track sheet is full of godawful straight-to-video flics (much like Christopher Walken’s). Pays the bills, I guess, but could someone please write him a part worthy of his skills? ---
**Author:** ![McJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@McJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McJohn)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/22 "2003-07-13T21:38:34Z")
Someone I’d like to see recognized for his talent is Jim Garner. I think it’s probably his fault, thought–so many years of playing that affable, slightly amoral character who is supremely indifferent to his good looks, immune to the blandishments of romance, and genially contemptuous of the rest of the world. He also makes it look far too easy–he’s got to be the most comfortable person on the planet in front of a camera. You never hear a breath of scandal concerning him, and no one has any stories whatsoever about what he’s like to work with, good or bad. I’ve never seen the guy put in a bad performance (of course, I can’t say I’ve seen everything he’s ever done–his career is in its fifth decade), and I have yet to find anyone who expresses an opinion on him at all. He’s… he’s… he’s like M&Ms–solidly dependable as a treat, but completely taken for granted and never likely to be awarded the status of flippin’ miracle. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Mr\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/23 "2003-07-13T21:52:53Z")
**Juliette Lewis.** She was doing great for a while in the early 90’s, now she is the sexually adventurous (ex-)gf in Old School and such. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/24 "2003-07-13T22:14:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Leechboy \* > Alec Baldwin - Seriously, other than that 5 minute showcase in Glengarry Glen Ross, can anyone actually name a quality movie he’s starred in? _Miami Blues_, a brutal black comedy in which he plays a vicious thug impersonating a police officer. It’s not to everybody’s taste but well worth seeing if you like the off-beat. Sadly, it was pretty early in his career and I don’t think he’s made anything as good since. Also, don’t forget _Hunt for Red October_. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/25 "2003-07-13T22:32:40Z")
Speaking of Baldwin, if you haven’t, you must see _Thick As Thieves_. A Class A Hoot! Excellent crime comedy/drama. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/26 "2003-07-14T00:20:43Z")
Eddie Izzard was excellent in **Cat’s Meow**. ---
**Author:** ![Murcielago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Murcielago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murcielago)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/27 "2003-07-14T02:56:03Z")
[Gary Cole](http://www.garycole.net/). The guy gets plenty of jobs, but he should be on the “A” list of actors and working on major films. He has been convincing as everything from a homicidal sociopath to the head of the Brady family. ---
**Author:** ![nisosbar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@nisosbar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nisosbar)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/28 "2003-07-14T03:20:52Z")
Gena Rowlands - I always loved her, she plays strong women well, but she’s older now, so… Colleen Dewhurst - loved that voice, and again, good at playing strong women. Mia Sara - Tom Cruise’s love interest in Legend. Peter Fonda - his career never took off like his father’s or his sister’s. Why not? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/29 "2003-07-14T08:16:14Z")
I almost feel bad for admitting it, but Sean Connery _IS_ a pretty captivating performer. But many of his movies are just awful (and he gets miscast a lot). Not that he compares to many of the actors mentioned here, but the talent he has sure gets wasted a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/30 "2003-07-14T09:59:10Z")
Colleen Dewhurst was wasted in Dying Young, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/31 "2003-07-14T10:32:16Z")
[Dolph Lundgren](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Lundgren,+Dolph), and this isn’t just nationalism talking. The guy is so much better than the rip-my-shirt-off-and-wield-a-minigun roles he keeps getting. Watch _Joshua Tree_ or _Men of War_. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/32 "2003-07-15T03:29:55Z")
Rudger Hauer…Best Role in Blade Runner, and I like him in that movie with Matthew Broderick, where Hauer played a knight. He just seems to make bad choices for movie parts. Such a waste… ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/33 "2003-07-15T04:00:14Z")
**Oliver Platt** Fabulous in everything he’s ever done. He just hasn’t done enough! ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Sarang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jack\_Sarang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Sarang)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/34 "2003-07-15T06:17:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cat Fight \* > \*\ ***Tim Roth** is an incredible actor (see Reservpir Dogs, Gridlock’d), but his track sheet is full of godawful straight-to-video flics (much like Christopher Walken’s). Pays the bills, I guess, but could someone please write him a part worthy of his skills? \*\* I have to agree here. He was nominated for an Oscar for his incredible potrayal in _Rob Roy_ but was ultimately robbed by some talentless hack… I would also have to say **Gary Oldman** we don’t see nearly enough of. Chattahoochee, The Professional… checking his imdb list… he has done almost nothing but crap the past 10 years… ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/35 "2003-07-15T15:08:27Z")
Jason Alexander The only Movie I remember him in that was any good was Pretty Woman - and that was a while ago, But he was George on Seinfeld, probably other unmemorable Movies, or TV, now hacking Chicken at KFC that wastes any talent he has/had. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/36 "2003-07-15T16:33:12Z")
I am thrilled to death that [James Marsters](http://www.pepperverse.net/mrwilliam.jpg) will be on Angel next year. Another year of [Spike](http://www.pepperverse.net/bargaining.jpg) makes me very happy. However, I’m worried that James is always going to be “Spike” and his band (Ghost of the Robot) isn’t helping…especially since he’s touring and doing cons all summer (hey, not that I’m complaing. I’m happy to follow him where I can…) when all of his co-stars are making movies or planning their own shows for the next year. On the bright side, his next film project will also be starring Sean Bean and Derek Jacobi and will involve lots of gay sex, so I’m hopeful… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Batman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@The\_Batman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Batman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/37 "2003-07-16T06:00:14Z")
Well, I don’t know his name but he was the fat excentric rich man Catherine Zeta-Jones worked for in “Entrapment”, I always thought he was a good bit actor. The same thing goes for the native american actor, whose name I also can’t remember, who starred in “Dances with wolves”, “Thunderheart” and “Maverick” among others. And one whose name I can remember: J.T. Walsh, it’s a shame he didn’t live long enough for an academy award. ---
**Author:** ![maleinblack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@maleinblack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maleinblack)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/38 "2003-07-16T06:11:10Z")
In my opinion a very good but highly underrated actor would be \Jeff Daniels\. He was simply brilliant in movies like \"Dumb and Dumber "\ and \“Speed”\ but since then has been not seen much on the big screen. If u havent checked him out as yet I highly reccomend \“Dumb and Dumber”\ ---
**Author:** ![shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/39 "2003-07-16T13:24:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Sarang \* > I would also have to say **Gary Oldman** we don’t see nearly enough of. Chattahoochee, The Professional… checking his imdb list… he has done almost nothing but crap the past 10 years… \*\* What about Basquiat, Immortal Beloved, The Contender, Murder in the First, Air Force One, The Scarlet Letter, Dracula (11 years ago, but still)…and apparently he’s going to play Sirius Black. You have some quality films there. I’m going to second Alfre Woodard and give a vote to Cary Elwes. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868/40 "2003-07-16T13:33:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tijuana\_Golds \* > **The same thing goes for the native american actor, whose name I also can’t remember, who starred in “Dances with wolves”, “Thunderheart” and “Maverick” among others.** That would be [Graham Greene](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Greene,+Graham+(II)) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-whose-talent-is-wasted/187868.md?page=3)